A Little Night Music: As I was trawling though the theatre websites earlier this week, looking for the next big piece of gossip which I could use to pretend as though I was well and truly part of the theatre in-crowd, I was hardly surprised to see yet another West End transfer of a successful show from the Menier Chocolate Factory. The Sondheim classic, A Little Night Music, is set to move to the Garrick Theatre on the 28th March, after tremendous positive press.
It’s extraordinary to think that The Chocolate Factory (what a nice sounding name for a theatre) only opened in 2004, but six of its productions have transferred to the West End or New York in recent years, including Sunday in the Park With George, Little Shop of Horrors and La Cage aux Folles, which is currently playing at the Playhouse Theatre and starring Graham Norton.
A Little Night Music features some heavy-weight theatre names, most notably, director Trevor Nunn (we’ll forgive him for his involvement in Gone With The Wind); performing on stage are Alexander Hanson, Maureen Lipman, Hannah Waddingham and runner up from the BBC television contest I’d Do Anything, Jessie Buckley.
See…. the other participants on these reality shows always get jobs, so it’s all good in the end.
Based on Ingmar Bergman’s film, Smiles of a Summer Night, A Little Night Music revives the notion of romance; set against the backdrop of 19th century Sweden it features one of the best known songs of musical theatre, Send In The Clowns….. some people are afraid of clowns, but don’t be scared, it’s just a song about them.
£10 off all tickets during the previews
A Little Night Music is booking until the 25th July; considering The Chocolate Factory’s pedigree, I’m sure the bright lights of Theatreland will embrace it. Be sure to get in early and save £10 on all seats during the preview period of 28th March to the 6th April.
A Little Night Music is on Sale Here =>
This post celebrates the 1000th performance of Wicked on Saturday February 14th 2009 at a ram-packed matinee performance in London.
Who’d have thought when the lights went out on Starlight Express all those years ago, that the Apollo theatre would soon play host to a whole new set of excited fans eager to see a new magical spectacular? An event that would literally grab the public imagination by the horns and become the most popular West End show of them all!
The surrounding area of Victoria station is now like a hotbed of theatrical success with Billy Elliot and Wicked facing off skin on skin and night after night like two ferocious brothers…Blood Brothers?
Anyway I was sitting at home this morning eating Brioche and trying to think of the perfect way to mark this special occasion when suddenly it hit me in the eye:
My top 10 famous people who’ve seen Wicked in London, in a very particular secret order:
- Mick Jagger
- Ray Mears
- Tim Burton
- Brian May
- Jennifer Aniston
- Gary Barlow
- Graham Norton
- Matt Damon
- Dame Shirley Bassey
- Sharon Osbourne
So basically if you go see Wicked this year, you’re in GREAT company!
Get your Wicked tickets here =>
Jude Law will be joined by Ron Cook, Peter Eyre, Gwilym Lee, John MacMillan, Kevin R McNally, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Matt Ryan, Alex Waldmann and Penelope Wilton in Michael Grandage’s production of Hamlet – the final production in the Donmar’s year long residency at the Wyndham’s Theatre.
Ron Cook returns to the Donmar to play Polonius. He is currently appearing as Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night, and previously appeared in Helpless, Juno and the Paycock and Glengarry Glen Ross. His many other theatre credits include The Seafarer, Howard Katz (National Theatre), Singer (Tricycle Theatre), Insignificance (Chichester Festival Theatre), Art (Wyndham’s) and extensive work for the RSC. For television, his work includes The Diary of Anne Frank, Fantabulosa, Funland, He Knew He Was Right, The Other Boleyn Girl and The Lost Prince; and for film, Hot Fuzz, Confetti, Charlotte Gray, Chocolat, Quills, Topsy Turvy, Secrets and Lies, and The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover. Read more
After a long and arduous search across the globe (fingering vast pockets of untapped talent) Whoopi Goldberg has finally found the perfect girl to take the lead role of Deloris in her new musical version of hit movie Sister Act.
This brand spanking new West End Diva is Patina Miller, a relative newcomer from South Carolina whose major success in showbiz so far has been the acclaimed Broadway revival of Hair.
If you’ve never born witness to the fun-filled frolic that is the frenetic story of Sister Act then you’re missing out on a big chunk of heartwarming pie that I will now rehash into a 30 second cupcake… Read more
Those of you into glitzy awards ceremonies may be interested to know that every year all most important ‘faces’ in the West End also congregate to pat each other on the back. Scraping off the slimy grease paint with baby oil and giving out special little statues called “Olivier Awards”. (Who could that be named after???)
Anyway, I’m about to reveal the entire list of nominations but before I do there seems to be one obvious omission that blazes out like a beacon in the night…
Where on Earth is Carousel?
…with five star reviews, sell-out shows, and such a delicious cast. Three words come to mind in varying stages of severity:
1. Travesty!
2. Scandalous!!
3. Abomination!!!
Let the nominations begin: Read more
As the more perceptive of you may have noticed this morning, our little island has been covered in thick white snow from Russia.
At this point all shows will go ahead as planed this evening but should anything change we will contact the affected customers straight away to advise on the options.
You can have a look at the London travel situation here:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modalpages/2625.aspx
Leicester Square Monday 2nd February 2009, 10.38am:
